Breech operating mechanism for a gas pressure loader for guns



Dec. 6, 1966 G. HUPP BREECH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS PRESSURE LOADER FOR GUNS Filed March 19, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 nmw nww nmm NM 3 mm G? k Z1 (52 FcZ Dec. 6, 1966 G. HUPP 3,289,535

BREECH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS PRESSURE LOADER FOR GUNS Filed March 19, 1965 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

IN VEN TOR.

Dec. 6, 1966 G. HUPP 3,289,535

BREECH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS PRESSURE LOADER FOR GUNS Filed March 19, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 6 #112 j" H U/U/i) Patented Dec. 6, 1966 Bee s tllairns. 61. 89-191) The invention relates to a gas pressure loader with a multi-port breech closure for guns as automatic firearms. This Consists of the breech carrier on which the breech head is slidable and which itself controls the locking latch which can be formed from prop elements and the like.

It is known to open the breech block upon gas pressure loading utilizing the gas pressure upon firing and which acts on a gas piston. Such a breech block is operative by a gas piston in connection with an impact prop carrier which is movable in a breech carrier and controlled over a lateral yoke of the lock mechanism.

It has been therefore endeavored to also attain a high rhythmic action for a gas pressure loader. For this it is favorable to hold the reciprocating masses of the breech a small as possible and for this purpose for gas pressure loaders, the bolt as to its weight is not considered as is usual in the breech head but separated from the breech and in the gun housing. By this arrangement, however, the breech must have an unusual form. To conserve weight at the reciprocating breech parts only a small, and at most of the entire weight is used relative to the total weight of the breech. Also, the weight of the breech must not be too small since then the gun will close irregularly and also may stutter.

The present invention has for an object thereof to provide a breech drive for a normal two-part breech with carrier and head portions so constructed that it is free of shock with the impulse created by the gas pressure can be directed to the breech so that there will be no shocks imparted to the parts and the breech will thus have a longer life. This is accomplished in that the return impulse from the gas pressure is directed step-wise first to the breech carrier and then to the breech head, whereby the breech head may have a larger mass than the breech carrier.

Structurally, it is possible to have the gas pistons directly as to one half of each at the breech carrier while the other half may be provided with play directly in front of the breech head.

At the breech carrier and at the breech head there are necessarily provided lateral wing guides which travel in common in guide grooves in the gun housing to slide therein in guided relationship and they or the gas pistons are so movable in the gun housing that the upper half of the front face will directly rest on the breech carrier guide wings, whereas the lower half of the front face will contact the guide wings of the breech head with play.

The return impulse by the gas pistons will accelerate the lighter breech carrier alone direct upon return movement and then first together with the heavier breech head which it takes with it until this breech carrier abuts against a stop. The return impulse of the lighter breech carrier will permit this carrier to be accelerated in front of the breech head which now will equal the recoil speed of the breech head and the breech carrier with shock free operation.

Due to the thus braked return impulses, the material of the breech parts and the gas pistons will naturally be spared from wear, so that there will be a longer life for the breech, whereas also the breech mechanism will be simplified.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a barrel end of the gun showing the breech in locked position at the moment of firing;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section in the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section as FIG. 1 with the lock liberated, and

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrams to show the time and path of the movable locking parts as to such parts without and with the invention.

The gun housing or casing 10 is mounted on the barrel l2 and in the cartridge shell receiver space 13, a cartridge 14 is in the space 13. The multipart breech closure member is indicated in its entirely at 15 and includes and consists of a breech carrier 23 and the breech head 22. The carrier 23 has laterally extending guide Wings 2311 which slide on both sides in grooves 24 in the gun housing 10.

Against the closure or breech carrier 23 there presses from the rear a closing spring 16 and at the top there is provided a roll or roller 19. Upon recoil of the breech the roller will enter into a curved groove 20 at the belt mechanism 18 and connects this over the toothed segment 21.

In front on the breech closure carrier 23 there is provided the closure head 22 which carries at the bottom a guide nose 23a which can slide in particular slot 22a in the breech carrier 23. This is therefore limited to such sliding movement. Also, the closure head 22 has lateral guide Wings 221; which are guided on both sides in guide grooves on the inside of the gun housing It The guide grooves 24 and 25 in the gun housing 10 are arranged one above the other so that guide wings of the breech head 22 and the breech carrier 23 with its Wings turned toward the guide surfaces may glide one on the other.

At the front the breech carrier 23 carries a firing pin 26, which with its shaft is guided in the breech head 22. The breech head 22 guides the locking link or flaps but other locking means may be used.

On both sides of the barrel 12 there are provided gas pistons 27 and 28 mounted in cylinder bores 29 and 30 respectively which are connected by draw-off or tap channels with the barrel shaft. The gun housing has the gas outlet openings 37 which are controlled by the gas pistons 27 and 28 by the forward control edges or sides 37a.

At the front ends the gas pistons 27 and 28 are provided pins 31 and 32 respectively by means of which they are guided in the wall bores 33 and 34 in the housing 10. These bores are closed at the front by common screws 35 and 36 having attachment means.

The middle parts of the gas piston cylinders 29 and 30 and therefore the gas pistons 27 and 28, are quite the same, in which the guide Wings 221) and 2311 will slide one after the other at the breech carrier 23 and the breech head 22.

The gas pistons, in the locking position of the breech will engage the frontal part of the breech carrier guide Wings 231). By means of a pressure spring (not shown) the breech head 22 will be held in this closed position with its back part against a stop surface 230 in the breech carrier 23 at a return position so that the two abutment front parts of the guide wings 23b and 22b will be separated from each other for the distance y, FIG. 1.

If now the gas pistons 27 and 28, upon firing, are forced back by the pressure of the drawn off gases, then they will be projected with their upper halves rearwardly against the back parts of the breech carrier 23. The breech head 22 remains thus untouched, thus remains stationary and holds the lock relationship as such for so long until the back moving gas pistons will proceed with their lower halves against their back part on the front part of the guide Wings 221; of the breech head 22, FIG. 3. Since the charge or load on the gas pistons 27 and 28 will continue further, the breech carrier 23 and the breech head 22 will be further forced back together. This mutual drive lasts as long as the charge or load on the gas pistons by the gas pressure ceases, thereby that the control parts of the gas pistons will open the gas outlet channels 37. Now the rec-oil drive on the breech will cease by the drawn off gases. Due to the generated energy derived up to now, the breech carrier 23 and the breech head 22 will be forced back together by the spring 16. When the drive by the gas pistons has ceased, the heavy mass of the breech head will be used up as to its energy quicker than the lighter mass of the breech carrier. The breech head remains therefore in the further return relative to the breech carrier, so that this must take it along. This movement takes place with only a weak push. If the breech head becomes stationary upon the return run of the breech carrier, then the two parts will return together. As mentioned, the mass of the breech head 22 is greater than the breech carrier 23. A gun according to the invention having a total weight of the 3365 g. for the breech would have a weight of 1020 g. for the breech carrier, that is 30.4% of the breech, the weight of the breech head would be 2180 g. that is 64.7% of the weight of the breech. The locking members weigh 165 g. that is 4.9% of the breech weight.

Due to the smooth transition of the driver impulse, there can only be a small use for the striking surfaces, and the problem is thus solved.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, these diagrams indicate the path as to the vertical arrows and the time element as to the horizontal arrow. FIG. 4 represents the gas piston operative only on the breech carrier and FIG. 5 represents the gas pistons operative on both the breech carrier and the breech head. In both figures, the inner line represents the breech carrier and the outer line represent the breech head.

I claim as my invention:

1. Breech operating mechanism for a gas pressure loader for guns comprising a two-part breech of which one part is a carrier and the other part is a head piece, gas pistons for opening the breech, said breech head being composed of a greater mass than the breech carrier, each breech carrier and breech head being provided with guide wings slidable in a common groove in a gun housing.

2. Breech operating mechanism for a ga pressure loader comprising a gun housing having a pair of grooves therein adjacent to each other on each side of the housing, a breech carrier having laterally extending wings to slidably move in one of the pair of grooves, a breech head having laterally extending wings to slidably move in the other of the pair of grooves, said wings and grooves guiding the two parts of the breech, and means in the housing to actuate the breech parts.

3. Breech operating mechanism according to claim 2, in which mean are provided in the breech head and the breech carrier so that the two parts of the breech may be relatively movable.

4. Breech operating mechanism according to claim 2, in which means in the housing to actuate the breech parts includes a pair of pistons operable in channels in the housing and each piston abutting against the wings of the breech parts.

5. Breech operating mechanism according to claim 2, in which the wings of the breech head are adjacent the wings of the breech carrier so that two contacting wings will slide in the adjacent grooves.

6. Breech operating mechanism according to claim 2, in which means in the housing to actuate the breech parts includes a pair of pistons operable in channels in the housing and each piston abutting against the wings of the breech parts, and in which each piston has upper and lower half surface sections with the upper half sections abutting against the wings of the breech carrier and the lower half sections abutting with play the wings of the breech head.

7. Breech operating mechanism according to claim 2, in which means are provided in the breech head and the breech carrier so that the two parts of the breech may be relatively movable to be operated by the pressure of the firing gases from a projectile.

8. Breech operating mechanism for a gas pressure loader for guns comprising a two-part breech of which one part is a carrier and the other part is a head piece, gas piston for opening the breech, said breech head being composed of a greater mass than the breech carrier, and a return impulse for the breech being step-wise operative so that first the breech carrier is directly actuated and then the breech head with the carrier movable together, and means on the breech head and the breech carrier so that a portion of each piston abuts against the breech carrier and another portion abuts against the breech head.

References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS 524,641 8/1940 Great Britain.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

FRED C. MATTERN, Examiner.

S. W. ENGLE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. BREECH OPERATING MECHANISM FOR A GAS PRESSURE LOADER FOR GUNS COMPRISING A TWO-PART BREECH OF WHICH ONE PART IS A CARRIER AND THE OTHER PART IS A HEAD PIECE, GAS PISTONS FOR OPENING THE BREECH, SAID BREECH HEAD BEING COMPOSED OF A GREATER MASS THAN THE BREECH CARRIER, EACH BRECH CARRIER AND BREECH HEAD BEING PROVIDED WITH GUIDE WINGS SLIDABLE IN A COMMON GROOVE IN A GUN HOUSING. 